Insert for head protecting hoods

ABSTRACT

An insert for the faceplate of a protective hood, which insert is curved on one side to conform with the curvature of the faceplate and flat at another side so as to define a planar opening for receiving a flat transparent plate. Clips or a resilient frame member on the insert retain the transparent plate in place and are conveniently movable to afford quick insertion and removal of the transparent plate so that such plate can be replaced as needed.

United States Patent Herbert A. Raschke Greenbrae, Calif.

Aug. 25, 1969 May 4, 1971 E. D. Bullard Company,

Sausalito, Calif.

Continuation of application Ser. No. 697,950, Jan. 15, 1968, nowabandoned.

Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee INSERT FOR HEAD PROTECTINGHOODS 3 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

11.5. C1 2/8 Int. Cl A61f 9/06 Field of Search 2/8, 9, 10,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1933 Malcom 2/ 8 2,152,383Leader 2/8 2,270,028 1/1942 Anderson 2/8 2,411,224 11/1946 OReilly 2/83,112,490 12/1963 Malcom, Jr 2/8 3,257,667 6/1966 Anderson 2/8 3,276,03410/1966 Cupp 2/8 FOREIGN PATENTS 331,856 8/1903 France 128/1427 PrimaryExaminer-James R. Boler ABSTRACT: An insert for the faceplate of aprotective hood, which insert is curved on one side to conform with thecurvature of the faceplate and flat at another side so as to define aplanar opening for receiving a flat transparent plate. Clips or aresilient frame member on the insert retain the transparent plate inplace and are conveniently movable to afford quick insertion and removalof the transparent plate so that such plate can be replaced as needed.

PATENTED HAY 415m SHEET 1 0F 3 FIG 4 IN VEN'TOR HERBERT A. RASCHKE BY 7M-JT-J ATTORNEYS FIG 12 24 INVENTOR.

F 6 HERBERTARASCHKE ATTORNEYS PATENTED HAY 4 I97! SHEET 3 BF 3 FIG 7INVENTOR. HERBERT A. RASCHKE ATTORNEYS INSERT FOR HEAD PROTECTING HOODSThis is a continuation of application Ser. No. 697,950. filed Jan. 15,I968, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a head protective hood, which hood has inalignment with the users eyes an opening, and more particularly to aninsert for such opening. The insert expedites replacement of glass orlike transparent sheet in the opening when such replacement becomesnecessary due to breakage or to pitting, such as occurs in asandblasting environment.

For protecting workmen in contaminated atmospheres such as insandblasting or lead grinding, protective hoods are provided. Such hoodstypically include a rigid hat shell, an integral rigid member dependingfrom the rim of the hat shell that circumscribes the face and neck ofthe wearer, and a heavy rubberized canvas apron that extends down belowthe armpits of the wearer. The wearers face and head are totallyenclosed and an air inlet fitting is provided in the structure so that'afresh air supply can be pumped into the interior of the hood. Theportion of the hood opposite the wearer's eyes has a transparent sheetfor permitting the wearer to see what he is doing. Because suchtransparent sheets become pitted or abraded during use, it is necessaryto provide for simple replacement of such sheets. Such replacement isparticularly important in the case of helmets used for sandblasting,because high-speed sand particles impinging on the glass impair itstransparency in a short time. The present invention provides an insertthat permits use of planar glass sheets for the above-stated purpose;apparatus according to the invention firmly supports the glass sheets infront of the wearer's eyes and permits rapid replacement of the sheetswhen their transparency is below a usable limit.

A feature and advantage of the present invention is that it permitsutilization of flat glass sheets, as contrasted with rela .tivelyexpensive curved glass sheets, so that frequent replacement of the glasssheets is economically feasible. Frequent replacement of the glasssheets improves the visibility of the wearer .and, therefore, improvesthe safety of job perforrnance.

Safety helmets with which the present invention is particularly usefultypically include an arcuate wall portion that protects the face, earsand neck of the wearer. The wall portion is arcuate because it is fixedto the rim of a rigid shell that protects the top of the wearer's headand depends from such shell. In alignment with the wearers eyes thearcuate portion is formed with a rectangular opening. For closing suchopening, transparent plastic material of sufiicient flexibility toconform to the arcuate shape can be and is used. In certainjurisdictiors, however, the use of plastic material is proscribed, glassbeing required instead. Although curved or arcuately configured glasscan be provided, such glass is relatively expensive since the curvingprocess requires additional manufacturing steps. The present inventionprovides an insert that is arcuately shaped at one side thereof toconform to the arcuate wall portion on the helmet and defines a planaropening at the other side to receive a flat rectangular piece of glass.Thus, compliance with safety regulations and laws is achieved withoutexpensive curved glass sheets.

Another feature and advantage of the present invention is that theinsert permits flat glass or curved plastic transparent sheets to beused interchangeably. For example, in certain instances of leadgrinding, a plastic face plate is satisfactory since lead chips or leadvapors are not particularly abrasive. However, when such helmet is usedin sandblasting operations, glass is frequently required. By use of theinsert according to the present invention a given helmet can be utilizedfor both of the applications merely by, in the case of the latterapplication, inserting the insert which is adapted to support a glassplate in front of the wearer's eyes.

The foregoing, together with other objects, features and advantages willbe more apparent upon referring to the following specification andaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a hood provided with an insert of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of an insert according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detailed view in enlarged scale showing a clamp for securingthe transparent sheet in place;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view of the mounting means of FIG. 5',

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of an insert according to the invention andshowing an alternate structure for retaining the transparent or glassplate in the insert;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7;and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the transparent plate retaining member.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, reference numeral 12indicates a hood, which hood typically includes three component parts,namely: a rigid shell 14 for protecting the crown of the wearer's head,a rigid shield or faceplate 16 secured in depending relation to thelower rim of the crown portion 14 so as to encircle the face, neck andsides of the head of the wearer, and a flexible torso-enveloping portion18 that extends down below the armpits of the wearer. Typically there isan air opening in the rear portion of depending shield 16 to permitattachment of an air hose so as to supply fresh air to the wearer of thedevice.

In depending shield 16, at a position corresponding to the position ofthe eye of a wearer, there is formed a rectangular opening indicated at20 in FIG. 2. Opening 20 is typically rimmed by a gasket 22 formed ofsponge rubber .or like sealing material and a frame 24 that defines anopening 26 approximately congruent to opening 22. Frame 24 is hingedlymounted on arcuate shield portion 16 by a hinge 28.

The insert of the present invention is designated generally by referencenumeral 30 in FIG. 2. The insert includes a curved flange 32 that isgenerally congruent with hinged frame 24. Integral with flange 32 andextending outwardly therefrom is a top wall 34, a bottom wall 36 andopposing sidewalls 38 and 40. The walls terminate in a flat rectangularopening that is bordered by a shoulder 42. Shoulder 42 forms a flangeagainst which transparent plates are supported. A gasket 44 bearsagainst the internal surface of shoulder 42 so that the transparentplates form a tight joint with the shoulder.

An outer transparent plate 46 of relatively inexpensive glass or thelike is provided in direct contact with gasket 44 and an inner piece ofsafety or shatterproof glass 48 is provided behind glass plate 46.Because innermost plate 48 is shatterproof, objects hitting transparentplate 46, even though they may break the outer transparent plate, willnot shatter the inner plate 48 and so, will not injure the eyes of thewearer. For retaining plates 46 and 48 in place there is pivotablysupported at opposite ends of upper and lower walls 34 and 36 a mountingclip 50, formed of resilient material such as spring steel. The clip ispivotally mounted at 52 by a rivet or the like and has a verticalbearing face 54 which engages the surface of plate 46 and presses theplate into contact with gasket 44. The clip is completed with ahorizontal leg 56 which frictionally engages both the inner surface ofthe top and bottom walls 34 and 36 and the edges of transparent plates46 and 48. Such frictional engagement retains clip 50 in the engaged oroperative position, shown in solid lines in FIG. 6. In order to removethe glass plate from insert 30, each of the clips 50 is pivoted to theposition indicated by broken lines in FIG. 6 and the plates are movedout of the way. To expedite removal of the plates the location of axis52 is closer to the rear arcuate edge of insert 30 so that the clip canbe depressed out of the path of the glass plates, as seen in brokenlines in FIG. 5

The operation and use of the present invention is straightforward inthat glass plates 46 and 48 are first installed in insert 30 by properpositioning of clips 50 and then the insert is mounted in frame 24. Theframe in some hoods has one parent plates 46 and 48 is accomplished asdescribed above,

and if it is desired to use a curved transparent plate that covers theentire opening 26, insert is removed and set aside, andthe'curvedtransparent plate is fitted beneath spring clips 54 andretained in place when clasp 60 is engaged. The cooperation of gaskets22 and 44 assures a substantially airtight enclosure within hood 12 sothat the user is protected from deleterious airborne substances.

A modification of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 7 10 in whichFIGS. similar elements are given the same reference numerals that areused in the preceding description for corresponding parts. An insert 30'has a curved flange extending entirely therearound which insert definesa rectangular opening bordered by a shoulder 62 and a gasket 44. Anouter transparent plate 66 rests against gasket 44 and is backed up byan inner plate of safety or shatterproof glass 48. As can be seen mostclearly in FIG. 8, this embodiment of the invention does not includeclips 50 but includes a modified structure for retaining transparentplates 46 and 48 in firm contact with gasket M.

Protruding inwardly from sidewalls 38 and 60 are abutments 62 and 64,respectively. The abutments can be moulded integrally with insert 36 orcan be attached thereto by any suitable means such as rivets or thelike. Each abutment is formed with an undercut portion 65 so that thediameter of the abutment adjacent the sidewalls is less than thediameter remote from the sidewalls. Abutments 62 and 64 function toretain in place a glass support frame See H0. 10. The support frame isformed of resilient spring steel and has an opening 68 approximatelycongruent to the hole defined by shoulder 62. The frame has an upperedge 70 and a lower edge 72 and is proportioned so that the distancebetween the two edges is slightly less than the distance between theinner faces of top wall 3 and bottom wall 36. 7

Support frame 66 has at the lateral extremities thereof rearwardlyextending sidewalls 74. The sidewalls are notched as at 76 to embrace atleast partially abutment 6d. The bottom of each slot 76 is spaced fromthe front surface of support frame 66 by an amount. equal to thedistance between abutment 66 and gasket M. In order to assist in theremoval and insertion of support frame 66, tabs 78 are provided, thetabs extending from upper and lower edges 70 and 72. In the example ofthe invention shown in FIG. it), the tabs are integral with supportframe 66. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the tabs rest on the inner surfaceof flange 32. Because flange 32 is generally arcuate and tab 76 isgenerally planar, a space sufficient to receive a fingernail or pryingtool underneath tab 7% exists. The presence of such space simplifiesremoval of the support frame 66 from insert 30.

From FIG. 8 the operation of this form of the invention will be clear.With transparent plates 66 and 416 in place against gasket 64, supportframe 66, because it is flexible, can be distorted to 'a positionindicated at 66' .in H6. 6. In the distorted position notches 76 can beengaged sequentially with respective abutments 64 because the distancebetween sidewalls 74 is less than the internal width of insert 36. Thus,notches 76 can be moved into embracing relationship behind abutments M.The energy stored in support frame 66 causes the frame to move into theposition indicated by solid lines in FIG. 6. At such position asubstantially continuous pressure is imposed by the frame along the topand bottom edges of the transparent plates. When it becomes necessary toremove the transparent plates, frame 66 can be distorted outwardly tothe position shown at 66 in FIG. 8 by grasping tabs 78 and forcing thecentral part of the frame away from rim 42 and gasket 44. The frame canthen be disengaged from one or the other of abutments 62, 64 and removedto enable removal of the transparent plates.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modificationscan be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of theinvention.

lclaim:

1. ln a head protecting hood having a face shield that has an arcuatewall portion for extending in front of the face of the wearer, and agenerally rectangular hole in said wall portion in approximate alignmentwith the eyes of the wearer, the improvement comprising a framecircumscribing said rectangular hole, hinge means mounting said frame tosaid wall portion for hinged movement about a substantially verticalaxis between a closed position adjoining said hole circumscribing saidrectangular opening and an open position clear from said hole, an insertdefined by a base flange having a curvature corresponding to thecurvature of said arcuate wall portion and being approximately congruentto saidframe, a top wall, a bottom wall, and side panels extending fromsaid flange and being integral with said flange and with one another,said walls and panels being encircled by said frame, means releasablysecuring said frame in closed position against said shield whereby saidframe substantially immovably secures said base flange and said wallsand panels to said face shield and constitutes the sole means forsecuring the insert on the face shield, said walls and panels furtherterminating in spaced relation to said flange in a planar rectangularopening, said walls and panels having a shoulder bordering said opening,a planar transparent sheet larger than said opening and sized to fitagainst said shoulder, and means for removably securing said sheetagainst said shoulder in said opening.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the transparent sheet securing meanscomprises a clip having a flat resilient main body, a bearing face atone end of said body and extending normal therefrom to press said plateagainst said shoulder when said clip is in the sheet securing position,said body having an aperture therethrough remote from the bearing face,clip mounting means including a member extending through said apertureso that the axis of pivotal movement of said clip coincides with saidaperture, said clip body being dimensioned so that in the oppositeposition from the sheet securing position said bearing face clears theinsert base flange to permit depression of said clip toward said wall toexpedite removal of said sheet from said insert.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said transparent sheet securingmeans comprises a resilient frame generally congruent to said shoulder,an abutment member extending inwardly from said side panels and beingaffixed to said panels in spaced relation between said shoulder and saidflange, and abutment member contacting means comprising sidewallsintegral with and extending rearwardly from said resilient frame at theside edges thereof, said sidewalls terminating in margins rearwardly ofsaid abutment member, said margins being formed with notches forembracing said abutment member.

1. In a head protecting hood having a face shield that has an arcuatewall portion for extending in front of the face of the wearer, and agenerally rectangular hole in said wall portion in approximate alignmentwith the eyes of the wearer, the improvement comprising a framecircumscribing said rectangular hole, hinge means mounting said frame tosaid wall portion for hinged movement about a substantially verticalaxis between a closed position adjoining said hole circumscribing saidrectangular opening and an open position clear from said hole, an insertdefined by a base flange having a curvature corresponding to thecurvature of said arcuate wall portion and being approximately congruentto said frame, a top wall, a bottom wall, and side panels extending fromsaid flange and being integral with said flange and with one another,said walls and panels being encircled by said frame, means releasablysecuring said frame in closed position against said shield whereby saidframe substantially immovably secures said base flange and said wallsand panels to said face shield and constitutes the sole means forsecuring the insert on the face shield, said walls and panels furtherterminating in spaced relation to said flange in a planar rectangularopening, said walls and panels having a shoulder bordering said opening,a planar transparent sheet larger than said opening and sized to fitagainst said shoulder, and means for removably securing said sheetagainst said shoulder in said opening.
 2. The invention of claim 1wherein the transparent sheet securing means comprises a clip having aflat resilient main body, a bearing face at one end of said body andextending normal therefrom to press said plate against said shoulderwhen said clip is in the sheet securing position, said body having anaperture therethrough remote from the bearing face, clip mounting meansincluding a member extending through said aperture so that the axis ofpivotAl movement of said clip coincides with said aperture, said clipbody being dimensioned so that in the opposite position from the sheetsecuring position said bearing face clears the insert base flange topermit depression of said clip toward said wall to expedite removal ofsaid sheet from said insert.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein saidtransparent sheet securing means comprises a resilient frame generallycongruent to said shoulder, an abutment member extending inwardly fromsaid side panels and being affixed to said panels in spaced relationbetween said shoulder and said flange, and abutment member contactingmeans comprising sidewalls integral with and extending rearwardly fromsaid resilient frame at the side edges thereof, said sidewallsterminating in margins rearwardly of said abutment member, said marginsbeing formed with notches for embracing said abutment member.